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Worked Examples · Example 3

Q.Evaluate lim⁡x→4x3−64x−4\displaystyle\lim_{x\to 4}\frac{x^{3} - 64}{x - 4}.

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✓ Free question

At x=4x=4: numerator =43−64=0=4^3-64=0, denominator =0=0, so the form is 00\tfrac00.

Note 64=4364=4^3, so the expression is x3−43x−4\dfrac{x^3-4^3}{x-4} — exactly the standard limit xn−anx−a\dfrac{x^n-a^n}{x-a} with n=3, a=4n=3,\ a=4:

lim⁡x→axn−anx−a=n an−1=3⋅43−1=3⋅16=48.\lim_{x\to a}\frac{x^n-a^n}{x-a}=n\,a^{n-1}=3\cdot 4^{3-1}=3\cdot16=48.

Verify (factor route): x3−64=(x−4)(x2+4x+16)x^3-64=(x-4)(x^2+4x+16), so the ratio =x2+4x+16→16+16+16=48=x^2+4x+16\to 16+16+16=48. Agrees.

✓Final answer

lim⁡x→4x3−64x−4=48\displaystyle\lim_{x\to 4}\frac{x^{3}-64}{x-4}=48.

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